# What are the best live albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689 "2005-05-06T14:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/41 "2005-05-07T14:02:09Z")
While I love them both - Stop Making Sense and Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous are both significanlty over-dubbed. David Byrne doesn’t even sync for much of the movie. I like many of the above and F Zappa and the Mothers Live at the Filmore East holds a special affection. ‘Mud Sh-sh-shaaark’ ‘Bwana Dick’ and ‘Happy Together’ standing out. ‘Everybody sing along like a big rock show!’ MiM ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/42 "2005-05-07T14:06:58Z")
I just remembered the second live album I ever loved: Supertramp, **Paris**. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/43 "2005-05-07T15:07:28Z")
I prefer live albums to studio albums because I like the energy, even if the sound isn’t as perfectly balanced. Most of the albums mentioned are great. I would add **Simon & Garfunkel’s Life in Central Park**. On a related note, I wish that John Mellencamp would come out with a live album. Honestly, I wasn’t much of a fun until I heard him live. He puts on an incredible show. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/44 "2005-05-08T11:38:10Z")
Another vote for **Made In Japan** : best live album title ever, and _fuck_ those guys were good - they still beat out Zeppelin in my book. The live delivery of _Child In Time_ is just jaw-dropping, especially when Gillan starts matching notes with Blackmore. David Bowie’s **Ziggy Stardust** tour live album: he may have been bullshitting about it being the “last show we’ll ever play” {for him, at least}, but The Brickies From Hull sure delivered like it was. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/45 "2005-05-08T11:42:36Z")
_ **Babylon By Bus** _-Bob Marley & The Wailers. ---
**Author:** ![empty\_filing\_cabinet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@empty\_filing\_cabinet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/empty_filing_cabinet)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/46 "2005-05-08T14:26:28Z")
**The Scofflaws, Live, Vol. 1** ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/47 "2005-05-08T15:59:18Z")
**Allison Krauss and Union Station** - Live. This was recorded over two nights at the Palace Theater in Louisville, KY. I was at the second night. INCREDIBLE. Very technically precise musicianship. I dunno if this qualifies, but Counting Crows on _VH1 Storytellers_. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/48 "2005-05-08T16:13:20Z")
You were the guy who yelled out, “I love you Allison!”, weren’t you? Or were you the sad guy who called plaintively, “I love you more…” I send the nomination of that Album. Better yet, get the DVD. It’s great. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/49 "2005-05-08T16:16:54Z")
I’ll never tell which one I was. 😉 Regarding the DVD, I have never been able to find it out. The camera crews were there when I was, so it’s possible that I may be in the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/50 "2005-05-08T16:30:17Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > most Dead fans will immediately mention either “Live Dead” or “Europe '72” as their best live set. Personally, I prefer “History of the Grateful Dead (Vol.1 - Bear’s Choice)”. I’ll cast my vote for **Dick’s Picks Volume 15** , the September 3, 1977 show at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. The “Eyes of the World” alone will melt down your eardrums. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/51 "2005-05-08T19:44:02Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > **From the Within** by Dead Can Dance. FTR, it’s **Toward the Within**. I’m also fond of the following: [begin Hawkwind fanboy section] **Space Ritual** by Hawkwind **Love in Space** by Hawkwind **Space Ritual 2001** by Nik Turner et al. **Past or Future** by Nik Turner et al. [end Hawkwind fanboy section] **Live Seeds** by Nick Cave **Ralph’s Last Show** by Fred Eaglesmith ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/52 "2005-05-08T20:23:07Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I’ll never tell which one I was. 😉 > > Regarding the DVD, I have never been able to find it out. The camera crews were there when I was, so it’s possible that I may be in the thing. It’s great. It has a DTS soundtrack that sounds superb. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/53 "2005-05-08T22:10:37Z")
**Live After Death** by Iron Maiden _“Scream for me Long Beach!”_ **Captured** by Journey _“See this microphone right over here?”_ ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/54 "2005-05-08T22:36:01Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > **Allison Krauss and Union Station** - Live. This was recorded over two nights at the Palace Theater in Louisville, KY. I was at the second night. INCREDIBLE. Very technically precise musicianship. > \*. Maybe… but I’m watching the dvd and I have to once again say - her vocal has been overdubbed later. It is studio quality vocals unrespondant to her moving her head this way and that. Very disappointing. MiM ---
**Author:** ![The\_Highwayman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Highwayman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Highwayman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/55 "2005-05-08T23:19:25Z")
Most of the live albums I like are in the heavy metal vein but there are a few that stand out in my mind: **Tribute** - (Ozzy Osborne) Not for Ozzy but for the great RR. **Unleashed in the East** (Judas Priest) - Probably the best live metal album ever. But according it most professional audio people and quite a number of people on this board which is suprising, probably the greatest live album of all time: **Live at Leeds** - The Who ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/56 "2005-05-08T23:22:45Z")
I agree with **Art Vandelay** , [Bless It’s Pointed Little Head](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00028U6BI/ref=m_art_li_8/104-1801796-1652755?v=glance&s=music) is a terrific album - one of the best live albums ever. A runner-up would have to be the Stone’s [Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003BF4/qid=1115594901/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-1801796-1652755?v=glance&s=music). ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/57 "2005-05-09T00:29:34Z")
-Beaming- Ahhhhh, a fellow **Yes** fan . I find the overall energy and sound mix of [An Evening of Yes Music Plus](http://yescography.tripod.com/anevenin.htm) to be excellent. Additionally, I’ve always enjoyed [Renaissance Live At Carnegie Hall](http://www.comnet.ca/~jkahane/ren/albums/LiveAtCarnegieHall.html). Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/58 "2005-05-09T03:06:27Z")
> [@Made in Macau](#): > > Maybe… but I’m watching the dvd and I have to once again say - her vocal has been overdubbed later. It is studio quality vocals unrespondant to her moving her head this way and that. Very disappointing. > > MiM Maybe so…but I can honestly say (without getting into a whole side discussion on the vices and virtues of lip-syncing) that it had ALMOST the same quality while I was there. I don’t know much about acoustic quality, but the Palace is UNREAL when it comes to that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/59 "2005-05-09T13:17:32Z")
Joe Cocker: _Mad Dogs and Englishmen_ ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689/60 "2005-05-09T15:17:13Z")
I say, _Bob Marley Live_ (Recorded live at The Lyceum, London) belongs on the list. If nothing else, for the absolutely best mix in of ambient sounds I’ve every heard on a live album-- you really feel like you’re in the bar, but can still hear the music perfectly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-live-albums/302689.md?page=4)